Irvine City Council members voted last night to advance an ordinance that would extend job protections for grocery store workers in the city. The proposed measure requires grocery retailers to retain their existing employees for at least 90 days following a change in ownership, such as a merger or sale.
The council voted 5-2 to bring the ordinance back for consideration at its next meeting on September 22. Councilmembers Mike Carroll and James Mai cast the dissenting votes. For the ordinance to take effect, it will require two approval votes from the council at separate meetings, followed by a 30-day waiting period.
State law currently mandates similar retention requirements for grocery stores exceeding 15,000 square feet of retail space. The Irvine proposal would expand these protections to include stores with less than 15,000 square feet of retail space, provided they employ more than 300 individuals nationwide.
Councilmember Kathleen Treseder, who proposed the ordinance, stated that the changes are designed "to ensure the stabilization of this vital workforce and to preserve health and safety standards" within the city. She noted a trend towards smaller retail grocery formats with increased dining areas. Councilmember Betty Martinez Franco also voiced support, saying that "Irvine needs to lead in this in protecting the workers." Both Treseder and Martinez Franco are up for reelection this year.
Opponents of the ordinance raised concerns about its scope and impact. Councilmember Carroll argued that the issue falls outside the city’s primary responsibilities, which he described as parks, police, public works, and property land use. He also suggested the ordinance seemed to target specific grocers like Mother’s Market and would not attract new stores or lower costs. Councilmember Mai expressed concern that the proposal could be "counterproductive by adding another mandate for businesses" considering investment in Irvine.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 324, representing grocery workers in Orange County, supports the measure. Jose Perez, the union’s president, highlighted that grocery employees served as essential frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated the council's effort would "close a loophole in the state" law and ensure all major grocery stores operate under the same rules.
The California Grocers Association opposes the change. Nate Rose, a spokesperson for the association, stated that the ordinance does not help maintain grocery store operations or keep food costs affordable. He argued that policy should focus on making it easier to open more locations to foster competition, noting that "We have the highest grocery prices in the country."
This action by the council comes after fifteen employees were suspended from a Mother’s Market store in Costa Mesa amid unionization efforts. There is also a Mother’s Market location in Irvine. Additionally, leaders from the Orange County Hunger Alliance report a rise in food insecurity across the county, with over 387,000 residents experiencing it in 2024, an increase from 267,000 in 2021.
The ordinance is scheduled for further deliberation at the upcoming September 22 City Council meeting.
